Beauty of the Rain
by ShaduofTexitar
Summary: Joey was rejectedby the one he loves. Rejection forces him to find a way out of his problems and back to his love. But in doing so, will he reverse damage, or cause more?
1. The Best Ones Get Away

Yugi woke that morning with a long stretch. He hated mornings. He wasn't a morning person at all. And the fact that he ever had to get up made Yugi really mad at times. But he kne he had to. So, he shuffled into the bathroom and pulled out his electric shaver. He turned it on with a slow click and began to shave. He carefully guided the buzzing beast over his face, careful not to hurt himself with it.  
  
"Morning Yugi," Yami greeted from inside Yugi's head in a voice that was a little to cheerful for Yugi's liking.  
  
"Morning," Yugi grumbled sourly.  
  
"Why the foul mood?" Yami asked teasingly, grinning a stupid grin that he only got when no one was looking and he was teasing Yugi, and that closely resmebled one of Joey's looks.  
  
"Shaadup!" Yugi snapped bitterly back.  
  
Yami snickered at little. This same thing happened almost every morning, and Yami never got tired of it.

Yugi wasn't very social or active until he had gotten one cup of the 'elixir of life', a.k.a. coffee. He never was. And until he started college, he had never had this problem. But now that he had some early classes, he had to have his coffee to wake him up and get him moving, and remotely socail.

Yugi finished shaving and turned the shaver off with another slow click. After he put the shaver in its correct place, he trudged out to the kitchen where he picked up the sacred coffee pot. Picking up his mug that was reserved for his coffee in the mornings, he poured the black liquid into the cup and watched the little bubbles that came from the pouring swirl around a little bit. Then, he began to drink. He drank slowly, and then with increasing speed as he began to wake. As soon as it was all down his throat, he felt much better. He felt like his old self again. Like he did before college and the reidicously early classes. And sure enough, he sprang to life and got ready for his college classes, just like Yami had seen every morning. Yugi had picked up his backpack and was just about to head out the door when the ring of the phone sung out through the room. And the sudden noise caused Yugi to jump. But he answered quickly.  
  
"I wonder who that could be," Yugi stated as he picked up the phone after two rings. "Hello?" he said into the mouthpiece.  
  
"Yes, is this Yugi J. Mutou?" an elderly man's voice asked in a catious tone.  
  
"Yes, this is him," Yugi answered, nodding a little out of habit.  
  
"Could you come to McSmities'?" the man inquired, his tone getting a little bolder.  
  
"Uh, sure, but why?" Yugi questioned, raising an eyebrow involuntarily.  
  
"You need to pick up your friend, uh, Joey Wheeler I think," the elderly man stated uncertainly, as if he wasn't sure that he was doing the right thing.  
  
Yugi's heart leaped. What had happened? Why did he need to pick up Joey? Did Joey get hurt? Was he seriously injured? Will he be okay? And suddenly, a memory hit him. It was only then did he realized what McSmities' was. It was a bar. And that could only mean one thing. It could only mean what Yugi feared it meant.  
  
"I'll be right there," Yugi assured the man.  
  
The two hung up and Yugi raced to his car. He had to get there quick. He didn't know why, exactly, but that feeling was now pulsing through his body, telling him to move faster, quicker, to get there in a rush. Yugi speedily buckled his seatbelt and revved up the car with a twist of the key. Yami appeared in the seat next to him, and stared at Yugi quizzically for he had not been listening to the conversation between Yugi and the elder man.  
  
"Yugi?" he asked to get his light's attention.  
  
"No time to explain Yami," Yugi replied quickly. "You'll see."

"If you say so," Yami sighed and turned his eyes to the upcoming road.  
  
Yugi sped off in the car towards McSmities. He knew he had to get there fast. He raced down the road to Joey, towards his best friend. The wind whipped through his hair relentlessly, because Yugi's car was an old, beat up one that didn't have a top on, unless Yugi put it on. It was sort of like a really cheap convertiable that took five minutes, and some muscle to convert. So, during the hot, and warm, months, he left the top off and when it became cold, he put it on and left it. It was quite a system he had worked out, really. But the system, or even the cool wind of the transition time between summer and winter didn't matter to Yugi. The only thing he cared about now was coming to the aid of his friend.

When he got there, he hesistated a little outside. He wasn't sure whehter he really wanted to go in. He had heard some bad things about McSmities. He had heard how it was the most violent bar in all of Domino. He had also heard how most of the people who die from alcohol overdosage came from McSmities because of the fact that the drinks were so cheap. He knew why this place creaped him out, and why he had never gone in. For one thing, Yugi never drank. He had never had an alcoholic beverage in his life, and didn't care to. The other reasons were the terrible things he's heard. But aside from all that, it was the most popular bar in town, most defiantely for the cheap drinks. Yugi didn't want to go inside, but he knew he must.

So, he pulled his unwilling body out of the car, mustered up all the courage he had, and walked in the door. He was greeted by the smell of alcohol and mens' bodies, and some other things that he'd rather not describe. He looked around. He saw men of all shapes and sizes. Some were big and muscular. Yugi was positive that they could break him into half without even trying, if they wanted. However, they were so focused on their conversations and drinks, they didn't even notice the small man come into their dwelling. Yugi was about to go to the bartender, which appeared to be the old man he had talked to earlier when he stopped. Yugi then saw a body underneath the bar, between two stools. It was Joey. He slumped over, his back curved in a sloppy manner while facing Yugi. His chin nearly came to his chest, stopping just inches short of his shirt. Joey's eyes were dull and unfocused as he looked at the ground, not really seeing anything. His mind was blank, Yugi could tell just by looking at him. Yugi, taking a breath, timidly walked over to him. It took a great deal of guts for Yugi to bend down and look closely at Joey, who seemed to be a little on the beaten side. Yugi sighed and put a hand on Joey's shoulder. Joey didn't seem to notice for a second, and then, he slowly looked up at Yugi.  
  
"Joey, you okay?" Yugi asked, almost choking on the words.  
  
"Hey Yug," Joey greeted, his words slurring together, a sloppy grin creeping over his face.  
  
"What happened to you?" Yugi tried a different question seeing as how the first one didn't really get a response.  
  
"Nothin', just had a couple drinks is all," Joey stated, his words slung together and undefined.  
  
"Why?" Yugi persisted.  
  
Yugi knew that Joey had a small alcohol addiction. It was a known fact with his friends. Whether Joey had ever said he had a problem or not wasn't the question. Most could see the problem. He could go through three twelve packs of beer in less than two weeks, sometimes less than two. And even though he may fight it, that isn't something that someone who has a beer every now and then can do. Joey always said that he just needed a drink every now and then, but that "every now and then" was two or three times a day. However, Joey had never gone to a bar, to Yugi's knowlegde. And he most certainly had never drank enough to become drunk. So, Yugi wondered what in the world happened.  
  
But at the last question, Joey's face darkened and he looked back at the ground. Yugi could see sadness in his usually happy eyes. Something bad had happened to Joey, and Yugi had to find out what. Joey couldn't keep living like this.  
  
"Joey," Yugi pressed a little urgently for he was beginning to feel eyes on his back.  
  
"She said no," Joey mumbled, still not looking up.  
  
"What?" Yugi asked, at little bewildered.  
  
"She said no, not while I still had a problem with drinking," Joey muttered again, as if he had never wanted to tell, as though he regretted it.  
  
As though a thunderbolt had hit him, Yugi understood. He now understood what Joey meant, and why he had done what he had done.  
  
Flashback, last night  
  
"Man Yug, I can't wait until tonight," Joey said happily as he sat by his best bud on the couch and putting his feet on the small coffee table infront of them as the two of them watched TV.  
  
"Oh really? Why is that?" Yugi looked at his friend, taking his eyes off the screen to turn towards Joey out of politeness and interest.  
  
"I'm gonna ask her tonight," Joey grinned widely, as though it was the best thing in the world.  
  
Yugi gave him a puzzled look because the phrase didn't register in his head and simply responded with, "What?"  
  
"You know, I'm gonna ask Mai to marry me tonight," Joey smiled, explaining himself a little better. "I've got reservations at a nice restaurant, and then, when I take her home, I'm gonna pop da question."  
  
"That's great Joey," Yugi smiled at his pal with a nod.  
  
Joey's smile got bigger and he pulled out a small black box from his coat pocket. With a slow movement, almost as though what was inside was the most sacred thing, Joey opened the tiny black box to show Yugi what it held inside its clutches. Inside laid a small golden ring that sparkled in the light. There were a couple of stones wedged into the top of it and in the middle of the two smaller stones, there was a slightly bigger one. It looked very expensive and it shone like Joey's eyes now did. Yugi smiled an encouraging smile as he looked at the ring.  
  
"I think she'll love it Joey," Yugi nodded with a grin as Joey closed the box and slipped it back into the inner coat pocket it had come from.

"Come on Joey, let's get you home, or at least to my place," Yugi groaned as he tried to hoist Joey up on his feet.

But Joey was much to heavy for Yugi. The small man tried in vain to get his friend up. Yugi was just not strong enough. Yugi tired and tired to get Joey to his feet. But every time he braced himself against the ground and pulled on Joey's arms, he would just fall and fail.

"Come on Joey! Get up! I can't do it alone," Yugi told the dazed blonde that hadn't moved an inch.  
  
Joey sat there for a coupld of seconds longer. And then, he stood up in a slow motion, making sure he didn't hit his head on the top of the bar. He swayed a little as he tried to steady himself. Yugi began to walk out when he noticed that Joey wasn't. Yugi sighed and walked back over to Joey, offering a shoulder. Joey leaned on it, almost greatfully. Then, the two walked to Yugi's car in a slow shuffle.

The short ride to Yugi's apartment was silent. Neither said a single word. Neither of them could come up with anything to say. They both felt tension between each other. Tension that they hadn't felt in years. And yet, Joey didn't know why he was silent. He had so much he needed to say, so much to get off his chest. And he had always trusted Yugi. So what was he waiting for? Why couldn't he say anything? Maybe, he thought, maybe because he felt as though his life had ended the night that Mai had said no.


	2. A New Battle

They got the apartment building with no problems. Yugi, of course, helped Joey up to the apartment that Yugi rented. Yugi carefully laid Joey down on the couch, allowing he to rest on the couch, for the time being. Yugi was going to go to the other room to just let Joey be for a while, until another thought came to his mind. Quickly, Yugi went and got his wastebasket. After lining it with a plastic bag, he placed it beside Joey, just incase Joey needed it.

Yugi knew that it would be best if he just let Joey sleep. He didn't know that much about what to do with drunk people, never having to take care of one before. However, he knew that they could usually sleep it off, that's what happened in movies. He was, however, afraid of what might happen if he left Joey alone all day. What if Joey needed him or Joey's condition got worse? He would have no way of knowing if he left the house. So, Yugi, with a small ounce of regret, called up his class instructors explaining that an emergency had come up and he wouldn't be able to make it to classes. They all understood, and happily offered to let him come in later in the week to make up the class he missed. Yugi didn't really want to do that either, but Joey had helped him more times than Yugi knew, so Yugi figured this was the least he could do. After all, Joey would do the same for Yugi if this ever came up.

Yugi didn't know what to do, really. He had never taken care of someone who was drunk, like Joey. He had never run into this problem with Grandpa or any of his other friends. Tristan and Tea never drank, duke never had a desire to, and Kaiba, well, he may have drank, but he would never ask for Yugi's help. And Grandpa never got drunk. Oh, sure, Grandpa said that he had taken care of some people who had gotten sick because of drinking, but he had never been one. Wait, maybe he would know. Yeah, he did say that he had tended to drunk people before. So, if he had done that before, then he would know what to do, right?

Yugi went to the phone again. He picked it up and looked at it. It was shaking. He realized that his hand was shaking, but he didn't know why. Maybe because the reality of the situation was finally catching up to him. He knew that Joey would probably be okay, but he couldn't be sure. And what if Grandpa didn't remember what to do? Despite his doubts, he found the courage to dial his grandpa's number.

"Kame Game Shop, this is Solomon speaking," Grandpa's voice flooded over the line in his tone an official one that he only used for customers.

"Hey Grampa, it's me, Yugi," Yugi greeted warmly, smiling on the other line at hearing his Grandpa's voice again.

"Yugi, my boy, how are you?" Solomon's business-like tone left his words and Yugi could see, in his mind, Grandpa's eyes twinkle.

"I'm alright, but I have a question," Yugi stated, a little unsure about himself.

"Oh? Well then, by all means ask it," Grampa warmly welcomed the question.

"Okay, uh, hypothetically speaking, let's say you found someone on the road, drunk," Yugi said, attempting to hide his true intentions. "And let's say that he was your friend and so you decide to take care of him. What do you do?"

Yugi could see Grampa smiling on the other line as he replied, "Well, if it's not very severe, just let him sleep it off. I'm sure Joey will be fine by tomorrow."

Yugi cringed a little at hearing the name of his friend. He had hoped to keep Joey's name out of this. He didn't want to ruin Joey's reputation with Grandpa. Grandpa had been one of the few people who had believed in Joey. He had confidence in him, and Yugi didn't want to shatter that. But Yugi also knew that his grandfather was smarter than that. His grandfather also knew of Joey's alcohol addtiction. It's not like it was a big secret, as much as Joey would like it to be. Everyone knew about it, and pretty much everyone dealt with it, everyone but Joey.

Letting out a sigh, Yugi told his grandpa, "Thanks."

"You're very welcome Yugi," Grandpa said affectionately to his grandson.

Yugi sighed again. Why was it that he couldn't help Joey. He couldn't do anything but let Joey sleep, and it made him feel really bad.

Grandpa could almost feel his grandson's distress, and he told Yugi in a soft tone, "Yugi, you may be able to save the world when you need to, but you can't change what happens to the people in it. However, I believe that this will all work out one way or another."

"Yeah, thanks Grandpa, talk to you later," Yugi said, a little depression still audible in his voice.

"Yes, talk to you later, and keep your chin up," Grandpa stated in closing, and then the line went dead.

Then he hung up the phone and turned towards Joey. He was asleep on the couch, unaware of the trouble he had caused. Yugi feared that he did something stupid while drunk. It wasn't uncommon for him to be a hothead. And that may have caused him to do something. He couldn't be sure though. Nonetheless, it seemed that things between him and Mai were damaged, if not over. Joey could pull himself out of this, but it would take a whole bunch of work.

The day went by without a hitch. Joey slept most of the day, and only got sick a couple of times, and by the evening times, he was just fine, and went home soon after dark. When he got home, he collapsed on the couch.

He was so depressed. He just couldn't get last night out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, every time he even sat down to rest, it replayed itself. How he had gotten down on one knee. How he had held out the box. How he had asked her. How she had turned him down. How she looked at him in disbelief. How she had said that she wouldn't until he had fixed his problem. How he had made himself look like a fool. How he had felt after. How he was so depressed, he went to a bar to forget. He couldn't really remember anything much after that. But all the things he could remember kept haunting him.

Joey threw his head back. Why should he go on? There was no purpose for him now. The one he loved was out of his reach, thanks to something he had no control over.

He was drowning in his own thoughts when the ring of the phone saved him. With a sigh, he picked it up.

"Yo," Joey answered.

"Hey Joey, it's Tristan," the man on the other end stated, though it wasn't as friendly as usual.

"Hey Tristan, my man, what's up?" Joey asked, a little confused at his friend's sternness.

"You, that's what," Tristan grumbled gruffly.

"What'd ya mean?" Joey asked, confused even more.

"Your little 'rumble' with the police this morning is all over the news man, don't tell me you don't know," Tristan stated, a little shocked at the thought that Joey could forget.

"No, I don't. I've been at Yugi's all day, though I don't recall how I got there," Joey told Tristan, scratching his head. "I just got home."

"So…I bet you don't remember the fight either," Tristan concluded a little crossly.

"Well, uh, no," Joey confessed sheepishly, hanging his head.

"Joey, you better do something before you destroy yourself," Tristan warned.

"It's not that bad," Joey protested.

"Not that bad! Joey, the police almost had to tazer you! You were out of control!" Tristan stated forcefully, not believing Joey's denial. "Joey, you nearly killed an officer! You were drunk. You have to do something to control this."

"I can control it on my own," Joey growled.

"Get counciling," Tristan suggested.

"What am I supposed to do Tristan? I can't afford a quack," Joey stated.

"You can, you just don't want to go to one," Tristan bluntly noted.

"Joey, Mai'll never take your name if you act like this all the time! And what about if she wants a family? Huh? Ever think of that? She'll never allow you near the children if you act like this," Tristan countered.

"Tristan, what am I supposed to do? Huh? Tell me that? What? Go out to the orphanage and adopt a little kid for a while until Mai takes me back?" Joey argued in anger.

There was silence as Tristan thought. Joey's heart plummeted as he realized what he had just said. He could almost see Tristan's eyes light up. He hoped that Tristan wouldn't take him seriously.

"Joey…that's not a bad idea at all," Tristan stated, just as Joey had dreaded.

"Tristan, you can't be serious, I'm not ready for fatherhood, even if it is only temporary," Joey shook his head furiously. "I was only kidding."

"Joey, it's the only thing we got," Tristan stated. "Besides, it's a good idea. It'll show Mai that you're ready for a family. How bad could it be anyways?"

"How bad could it be?" Joey grumbled. "Tristan…I.."

"Come on Joey, you know you want Mai," Tristan coaxed. "This is the only way to redeem yourself."

Joey hung his head in defeat. He knew that Tristan was right. If he continued to live the way he was, he would never get anywhere. He would just be "Joey, the fighting drunken idiot." That's not what he wanted. What he wanted was Mai. He wanted Mai to be his wife. He wanted a family with her. He knew what he had to do, whether he was ready for it or not. As Tristan pointed out, it was the only thing they had.

"Alright Tristan, you win," Joey sighed, defeatedly. "I'll go to the orphanage tomorrow."

"You want me to meet you there?" Tristan inquired.

"No. if I'm gonna do this, I gotta do it on my own," Joey grumbled. "But thanks anyways."

"Alright, talk to you later man," Tristan stated and hung up the phone.

Joey just pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it, letting the dial tone ring into the air. What had he gotten himself into? And why was he actually agreeing to this? What was he actually agreeing to?

Then, the memory came back. Mai, that's who he was doing it for. And if he didn't do anything, he may loose her, forever.


	3. Hope

Joey walked into the orphanage that next morning. He hated the fact that he had agreed to this. But with Tristan on his case, he dare not back out now. Tristan would hound him until he did it. The only thing Joey hated more at this point was the orphanage itself. The place was kind of, well, like a boot camp of some sorts. A dirty boot camp at that. There were no kids in sight as he walked to the front office. An old, rusty swing swayed, creaking on it hinges. The playground was deserted and eeire. It wasn't right to not have kids hanging all over the metal bars. Joey shivered.

Joey didn't make a sound as he slipped inside. It didn't seem right to make a bunch of noise here. It was like a library, and event he smallest sound seemed out of place. A middle aged woman looked up at him with a condescending glance as he entered, as though he had made a big disruption, but Joey just looked back at her without showing that her gaze scared him.

"Yes?" she asked, her voice as high and irritating as finger nails screeching down a chalkboard.

"I'm looking to adopt a child," Joey stated bluntly, allowing his eyes to shift around quickly and then back to the women.

"Oh really? So you want to see the little brats, I mean, angels?" the woman, apparently named Mrs. Jones, looking at the name plate on her desk, asked, nose crumpled in a dissapproving manner.

"Yes, I would," Joey nodded, though mentally he shook his head.

"Well come this way," Mrs. Jones instructed as she stood.

Walking out the door and to the main eating area, Joey guessed, she grabbed a rope and pulled down several times, sending the sound of a ringing bell through the orphanage. Only seconds after she had pulled the rope for the last time did a thundering heard of pattering feet come to greet the dismal message of the bell. They all lined up, seemingly by age, with the youngest to Joey's left, and the oldest to his right. The age was only a guess for the height went from highest to lowest.

There were a good number of kids, and a great deal more than Joey would've expected, though he wasn't really sure what he had expected. They all stood straight and looked straight ahead, reinforcing the image of a boot camp. The older they were, the straighter they stood, and the less their eyes darted around. The eldest seemed like a stone statue. He must have been there a while. The youngest slouched and darted his eyes back and forth. He was, by far, the smallest in the orphanage. Joey couldn't really get a good look at his face, though, for he kept it facing the ground.

Mrs. Jones walked up to the smallest, took out her small horsewhip, and slapped him on the back with it. The small boy straightened up real quick and stood as straight as the oldest kid, but it wasn't good enough for Mrs. Jones for his eyes never met hers. She bent down to eye level with him and tried to look him in the eye, but the boy darted his eyes away. No matter what angle she came from, he wouldn't look at her. She finally just lifted his chin to force him to look at her, but even then, she was unsuccessful. He simply shifted his eyes to the ground. So, when she realized that he wouldn't look at her, she started to talk to him anyway.

"What did I tell you about line-up?" she snarled, but the boy didn't reply and never looked up.

Mrs. Jones began to drill the boy feroiciously on the workings of her orpahanage, but he never answered and received a slap with the whip on the face for every answer he missed.

Joey stood there, watching. He couldn't believe how this woman was treating such a young boy. He wouldn't answer no matter how hard Mrs. Jones tried to get him to. That was plain to anyone. This boy wasn't being disobient to smite her either. Joey could tell that by the way he took his beating. It was like a dog who was whipped but never bit back. He was taking it without fighting. If he were doing it just to tick her off, he would fight back.

Joey's blood boiled. He watched, wanting to step in, just not knowing when to. His eyes blazed fiercer with every second, every question, every slap, until his temper had reached its end. Mrs. Jones hit the boy one last time, and that's when Joey snapped. He couldn't stand to watch this any longer.

"Enough!" Joey shouted. "What you're doing to that boy is inhumane and unjust. I've made my decision. I'm going to adopt that little boy."

Mrs. Jones looked at Joey, bewildered. She didn't understand what had made him so mad. If only she knew about Joey's past, she would understand.

"Sir, you have to be stern with disobeidant kids," Mrs. Jones stated calmly once she had regained her demenor. "This boy is one you just have to be extremely tough with."

"I agree, you must be able to displine kids," Joey nodded, and then glared up at her. "But this is ridculous. Can't you see this boy is unstable. He's hurt, mentally, and you're not helping. I might think about pressing charges against you."

"You, you can't be serious," Mrs. Jones stammered.

"I've never been more serious in my life," Joey restated. "But if you stop doing this now, and let me adopt this boy, I'll consider dropping it."

Mrs. Jones glared at Joey for a second, contemplating what would be best, not that there was much debate. This would get rid of the kid, and she would stay in control. However, having the kid there did bring in more money seeing as how the stated paid her to get him treatment, not that he got any. She figured she could win the case if he did press charges, or he's too broke to do it. She would call his bluff.

"Would you please follow me?" she motioned towards Joey. "The rest of you, stay here. I better not hear anything out of you all."

Mrs. Jones turned and walked into the office where Joey had first met her, and Joey crossly flowed, his blood still hot. Mrs. Jones slowly settled herself in the padded chair behind the desk and Joey silently sat down in the wooden one in across from her. Messing her hands infront of her and laying her arms down on the desk, she looked steadily at Joey, studying him to get a feel for him before speaking again.

"Mr..." She trailed off, waiting for Joey to supply a name.

"Wheeler," Joey offered huskily.

"Wheeler, Mr. Wheeler, I don't think you understand how much trouble that child would be," Mrs. Jones told him bluntly. "I'm not sure you could handle him, or want him."

"Oh really, and why not?" Joey raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. Wheeler, please understand that he has a history of epilepsy and even with treatment, he doesn't speak or look anyone in the eyes," Mrs. Jones protested. "This presents a great problem. If you can't control him, how do you expect to take care of the brat?"

Joey looked at her, glared at her, with more seriousness than ever. His blood was feverishly hot by now. That boy wasn't getting treatment. He wouldn't be that bad if he was. Mrs. Jones was using the money for her own enjoyment.

"Mrs. Jones, with all due respect, I don't give a care about what your stupid opinions are," Joey growled, trying to keep his voice from being raised. "I'm taking him. That's final."

"I refuse to let him go," Mrs. Jones snarled.

"A good friend of mine is a very good lawyer," Joey informed. "I'm sure he'd like to see this place."

"Fine, you can have the brat," Mrs. Jones grumbled, finally admitting she was defeated.

"I'm sure the 'brat' has a name, what is it?" Joey shot suddenly.

"Hikyuu Ookami, first and middle name respectively," Mrs. Jones spat sourly. "I'll bring him in for you in a couple of hours. You should probably get started on this paperwork," she added, handing Joey some papers.

"No court work?" Joey asked, puzzled.

"No, he was deemed 'unadoptable' and the court told us that if anyone ever came to adopt him, to just have them fill out those papers and he'd be home free," Mrs. Jones noted bitterly.

Joey looked down at the papers on his lap. If he went through and signed these, he'd be locked in. Hikyuu would be living with him, relying on him. Did he really want that? The memory of Mrs. Jones' treatement of the poor boy came back to him. Of course, Joey concluded. He would take that boy away from this dirty boot camp.

He lifted his pen and began to fill out the papers, reading everything carefully, filling in missing information, and signing it where it asked. He was going to get it done quickly, because the sooner he did, the sooner he could leave. He wanted to spend as little time as possible in this dump. And the sooner Hikyuu could escape too.

Joey hated this place and everything about it. He hated the living conditions and the way that Mrs. Jones ordered around and whipped the kid. It reminded him terribly of his father. The whippings, the beatings, the numbness of his father. All of it was here. And Joey hated it.

A few hours later, Joey had just finished the work when Mrs. Jones entered the room again, this time with Hikyuu trailing close behind, just as she said she would. Hikyuu didn't look up at Joey, or even to look around the office. Joey guessed he'd been here before for one reason or another. Hikyuu's eyes glued on the floor and he always stayed three or four steps behind Mrs. Jones.

Joey looked up as the two entered the room. When he had finished his last signature, he stood and handed her the paperwork. Mrs. Jones quickly looked it over, disgust growing on her face with every page.

"Looks like everything's in order. He's all yours then, Mr. Wheeler," Mrs. Jones snarled. "Call if you need anything," she added sarcastically.

"Will do," Joey nodded, equally as sarcastic. "Come on, let's go."

Joey turned on his heel and left, Hikyuu training after him. The two loaded the car and drove away without a single glance back. Hikyuu kept his head down, starring at the carpet in the car, unsure of wether to be happy or afraid.

Both of them would begin a new life, and neither of them were completely sure of what it held. And neither were sure whether they were ready for it. However, it was here, whether they were ready, or not.


End file.
